music

Have you ever been in a public place, heard a song over the PA system which you can’t place the title and artist, then have the song haunt you until you sleep? That was probably a scenario from a few years back, when we didn’t have Google or Shazam and the likes. But now it’s easy enough if you have an app that helps you identify the song or you remember a line or two which you then can Google to find out the title. A new Android Wear app makes it even easier for those who have smartwatches.

Right after the resignation of its product head, music video service Vevo announced the design and overall overhaul of its Android app, showcasing a new look and better live streaming services for users. It aims to compete with other music streaming services, but with the advantage of having not just audio, but a visual accompaniment to the users’ music experience.

In the latest in a series of changes that Samsung is making to its multimedia apps, they announced today that they are shutting down their Music and Video Hub, effective August 1, 2014. Just a few weeks ago, they also let users know that Samsung Music and Samsung Books will no longer be around by July 1. Instead, they are offering alternative apps courtesy of new partnerships that Samsung has entered into.

To add even more to its already burgeoning acquisition profile, Google has announced they have bought music streaming service Songza. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but Google announced that the main features of the service, particularly its expertly curated playlists, will remain the same. Further integrations into other Google products like Google Play Music will be explored in the next few months.

Google has rolled out the latest update for the Play Music app. This certainly isn't an update that can be described as major, however it does bring a few welcomed tweaks. For example, users will now have quick and easy access to downloaded tracks from the left-side navigation menu.

It used to be that when we searched for something on Google, it would take us a few clicks to get to either the book you wanted to read, the movie you wanted to watch or the music you wanted to listen to. But it seems that now they know that people’s attention spans have gotten even shorter so now everything has to be easy access or can be played right then and there. Google Search is the latest to do so, at least for US residents for now.

Did you ever secretly dream of becoming a rock star but had no musical ability whatsoever? Did you ever want to form a rock band but no one wanted to join you because of aforementioned lack of a musical bone in your body? A new game from Halfbrick called Band Stars will not be able to turn you into an instant rock god in real life, but at least digitally, you’ll be able to fulfil your dream.

Spotify has something in store for its Android users which it is now unveiling today. The upcoming update will bring a fresh, slick new look to the mobile app as well as a new area in the menu called Your Music.

Google Play Music support has arrived on Sonos this morning. The support will be available for those using the Android app, as well as the controller app on a desktop. And interestingly, you'll also be able to stream Play Music (to a Sonos setup) direct from the Play Music app in the same way you have been streaming to a Chromecast.

There is no dearth of media players on Android, so each one tries to carve out its a name for itself by focusing on some niche or unique feature. While MediaMonkey does indeed play music and video like any other, it is perhaps better known for helping you manage those files instead.